Sexual Jealousy Issues
by annieoakley1
Summary: Written for Go Get 'em Bobcat's Lost in the Dark Challenge. A simple competition brings a lot of Veronica's issues to the surface. L/V
1. Sexual Jealousy Issues

Location: Elevate Lounge  
Time: 10:16 p.m.  
Objective: Find Mark Goering, prove him to be the cheating scum he undoubtedly is, and then hightail it back to Neptune before sunrise.

And, if time permits, order one of those fancy pink cocktails. She always did want to drink something with a little umbrella in it.

"So when exactly is he supposed to be here?"

Veronica resists the urge to roll her eyes. She'd been on edge the entire drive to LA, all 140 miles of it. Her jaw clenched with every word he spoke, her fists tightening every time he tapped the steering wheel, or played with the radio, or ran a hand though his hair.

"Sheryl said that the girl wanted to meet him around 1 a.m. But he'll probably show early."

"What makes you so sure?"

"His type always does," she replies briskly.

"His _type_?" Logan smirks, his eyebrows raised. "I thought your bread and butter was the mid-life crisis cheater. When did you become so familiar with the mating rituals of the hipster manwhore?"

"Probably when I spent the better part of my late teens dating one," she bites, turning to glare at him.

"And the claws come out." He grins. "But I, dear Veronica, am no hipster."

"I'm sorry, I only heard the word 'manwhore.'"

The damn grin never leaves his face. "On a scale of one to ten, how pissed are you that I'm here?"

She doesn't say anything, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of her annoyance.

"Because you seemed fine with it when I asked to come along. But, if I can be frank, you've been a total _bitch_ since we left Neptune." He pauses, bringing his hand up to his chin in a gesture of thoughtfulness. "You'd think, with today's outrageous gas prices and all, that you'd be more appreciative of a ride."

She remains silent, her arms crossed defensively, her jaw tense.

"So I have to wonder, what was it exactly that put you in such a tiff?"

Veronica sighs in annoyance. Truth be told, she was fine with the idea of Logan accompanying her to LA, as she didn't really want to make the drive by herself or face the awkwardness of scouring such a hotspot all by her lonesome. Everyone else was busy, and Logan didn't make it sound like he was in it for her own protection, like some knight in shining armor to guard her from the club-going men in $500 skinny jeans and two dollar t-shirts.

Nope, it hadn't been a problem because she _was_ fine with idea of Logan joining her tonight; she was fine with it when he offered, she was fine with it when he picked her up, she was fine with it when they pulled on to the freeway. But she became decidedly less fine with it the moment he pulled out his cell to call his hookup du jour. "Rain check?" he whispered, his voice low and flirty. He smiled at whatever the girl on the other end of the line said, declaring that he "wouldn't dream of missing out on _that_." By the time he hung up, Veronica's whole demeanor had changed drastically.

_"I hope you didn't cancel any hot date on account of little 'ol me." She was going for quippy and non-interested with a hint of arrogance, but it came out more clipped and acerbic._

_To his credit, he acted oblivious to her obvious jealousy. "I just rescheduled. I'd rather you not go to LA alone."_

_She folded her arms across her chest and scowled._

_Logan Echolls: 1, Veronica Mars: 0._

"Veronica?" Logan asks, bringing her back to the present. "What's your problem?" When she doesn't say anything, her eyes staring down at the floor, he softens his tone. "I thought we were trying to be friends, you know?"

She sighs, shuffling her feet back and forth before looking up to meet his gaze. "Yeah, I know. Sorry. I'm fine." She manages a half-hearted smile before motioning him toward the bar. "C'mon, I'll buy you an appletini."

"Only if you pretend it's for you," he replies, following her.

Elevate Lounge is famous for its panoramic, penthouse view of LA nightlife. And even though Logan _hates_ LA, he can't deny that the scenery is pretty damn cool. He's appreciating the beauty from the bar when a deep voice interrupts him.

"Appletini?" the bartender asks, sliding the drink towards him. Logan glares at Veronica who smiles innocently in return. The bartender looks over Veronica appreciatively before handing her a rose tea martini . She thanks him, fluttering her lashes coyly. "What are the odds a gal could get one of those cute paper umbrellas to go with it?"  
The bartender laughs before producing one from underneath the bar area. "On the house," he smirks, placing it in her drink. "But it'll be twenty eight dollars for the tab."

Veronica giggles. Actually _giggles_. "You gotta love LA," she says, reaching for her purse. The bartender leans forward, his weight resting on his beefy forearms as he eyes her with a predatory smile. "Nah, this one is my treat. Enjoy your drink." He winks before moving on to the next customer, and Logan notes with distaste that Veronica is blushing.

"Looks like someone made a friend." He inwardly cringes at the bitterness in his tone.

Logan knows Veronica hears it, too, and he notes a sense of smug pleasure cross her face as she absently scans the room for her target. The club is busy but far from packed, so her task shouldn't be too difficult. "Sheryl told me that he always wears a bright red leather jacket with a black star stitched on the back when he goes clubbing," she tells him. "That should have been her first clue she was dating an asshole," she adds, sipping her martini.

"Red? With star stitching? I would have taken it as another sort of clue."

"Didn't _you_ once own a red jacket?" she teases, stirring her drink with the umbrella.

Logan scoffs. "Red leather? Very 1985." He waits a beat before sighing in boredom. "Wanna go outside?"

"Maybe later."

A slow smile crosses his face as he leans into her, conspiring. "Wanna play _Guess What They Do for a Living_?"

"_Here_?" she grins. "Easy!" She motions to several people lounging on one of the white couches along the wall. "Actress/waitress, actress/waitress, actor/waiter. Welcome to LA."

"You're too cocky. She," he points at a tall brunette, "is clearly an actress/model/socialite. Her dad is probably a multimillionaire, but his money is tied up in embarrassing stocks, like Preparation H or Charmin toilet paper. So she tries to pretend like they're old money…"

"Hey, maybe he invented Toaster Strudels."

Logan shakes his head in mock disgust. "I hate that I get that."

Veronica's smile widens. "It was on cable last night."

"Ah, you should have called. We could have had a marathon," Logan offers. He takes a drink and then licks his lips, watching Veronica watch his mouth. She swallows thickly before turning away from him. He likes that part of her is still attracted to him, may always be a little bit attracted to him, but it can't make up for the disappoint she'll always associate with him. He saw it in the car on the way to the club, heard it in the way she talked to him after he hung up on Amanda. Logan Echolls- an aimless, slutty fuckup. But damn if he didn't still miss her like crazy, no matter how little she thought of him. "We don't really hangout much anymore," he tells her, unable to hide the sadness in his voice before he turns his back on her form.

She's well aware of their distance. After their armistice following the fallout with Gory, Veronica, confused and conflicted over the feelings Logan could always stir within her, was steadfast in her avoidance. She thought she was terribly transparent when it came to him- Hell, _Piz_ saw it- and she just wasn't ready to go there again. Not yet.

She sidestepped him every chance she got, but she didn't fail to notice that he wasn't exactly going out of his way to run into her. The night before she left for her internship, she called him to tell him goodbye and quietly thanked him. When she returned, he was the one making efforts to reforge their bond: catching her in between classes, sitting with her at lunch, or listening in on conversations with clients and offering himself up for a road trip to LA.

She knows, deep down, that it is sweet that he is always the one willing to make the first move or take that extra step. She knows she should be easier on him and at least _try_ to meet him halfway. But it feels as though every time she almost relents, she sees him walking with some gorgeous, intimidating girl, casually flirting. Or, even worse, images of Madison Sinclair, moaning and writhing on top of him, pop back into her head. It amazes her, even still, how she could forgive so easily for that year after Lilly's death, but can still hold on so tightly to her anger over Madison. And when she feels that slipping, she only has to imagine him with Parker, or Hannah or Kendall or even _Lilly_, and the fire settles back in the pit of her stomach, fueling her. She doesn't want to examine her feelings on the matter and risk finding out what it would say about her. No, avoidance is best here.

Veronica shakes the thoughts from her head and takes another drink of her martini. She feels underdressed in a short black skirt with black knee highs and a teal sweater. The club is full of beautiful girls in ridiculously expensive clothes, and while Veronica always felt confident back in Neptune, Los Angeles did nothing but feed her insecurities. She had felt that way since the days when Lilly would drag her to LA for shopping sprees.

She swivels in her bar stool to turn to Logan, but finds him chatting with a tall blonde in the next seat. She rolls her eyes for the thirtieth time that night, trying to swallow back the bitterness. Logan flirts with everyone. It's just what he does. It's of no concern to her anymore.

She looks over the room again for the cheater, desperately wanting to get the money shot so she can get back to Neptune _before_ Logan finds someone to fuck in the bathroom. If he hasn't already. She turns back to look at Logan and finds him slipping a cocktail napkin into his back pocket. So predictable.

"What _will_ your girlfriend think?" she asks him, her eyes trained straight ahead and her drink a mere inch away from her lips.

"Which one?" The tilt of arrogance is like nails on a chalkboard to her. She'd love nothing more than to fling her overpriced beverage right in his face.

"Bambi? Minnie?" she starts casually naming names, her lips pursed dramatically.

"I've found that the Disney characters usually aren't so jealous," he interrupts. Her scowl does nothing to deter him. "Besides, I settle for no one. Spread the love, that's my motto."

"I'm pretty sure it's not love you're spreading," she retorts, and he grins at the fire in her eyes.

"Why buy a cow, you know?" he adds, his eyes purposefully searching the club. "Especially when there's _so_ much free milk."

"It must be like shooting fish in a barrel, huh?" she asks, following his gaze.

"You have no idea."

"Do you want me to leave?" Her eyes lock with his, and she's sure she's now got a tight reign on any questionable emotions. "I wouldn't want to cock block you."

"Oh please, Veronica," he sighs. "We're in a nightclub in LA. You could be sitting in my lap, licking my neck, and I'd still be able to get twenty numbers within the next hour."

"I'll take your word for it."

Logan smiles, a devious plan already formed. "Hey, you think you could do better?"

"What?" she asks, momentarily confused.

"Here. You think you could get more numbers than me here, tonight?"

"Why would I even want to try?" she asks seriously, and he shrugs. But he knows she'd never back down from a challenge. "Besides, it's not exactly an even playing field."

"Sure it is. Why do you think all of these guys are here? A love for techno?"

She eyes him skeptically. "C'mon, Veronica, you're-" he stops himself quickly. "Cute. Guys love cute girls." His recovery is so smooth, even he's impressed. His reward is written all over her face, a golden trophy shaped like Veronica's furrowed brow and patented grimace.

"What are we playing for?" she asks before chugging the rest of her drink.

"Just a friendly bet. Between _friends_."

"The most numbers in the next hour?"

"Sure."

Veronica glares at him, willing him to burst into flames right there at the bar. When he doesn't spontaneously combust, she offers her hand. They shake on it, their eyes locked in a power battle, before she pulls away from him and makes her way across the room.

He always wanted to see her jealous. Following Lilly's death and the carefully orchestrated ostracization of his former friend, he lived for Veronica's pain. The only reason he had to get out of bed each morning was to see her face, to watch it crumple in sadness as he put on another show. Tease her, taunt her, hurt her. _Remember what we all used to have, Veronica? You don't have that anymore._

When their relationship changed, and he was still only getting out of bed to see her face, but for entirely different reasons, he longed for another kind of jealousy. He wanted it to be jealousy when she stormed into his room, ranting about bimbos and poor little rich boys and their death wishes. He wanted it to be jealousy when she scoffed at his use of Hannah. He wanted, more than anything, for it to be _just jealousy_ when she showed up on date night wearing blue jeans and a t-shirt and he knew somehow before she even opened her mouth that she _knew_. He always wanted jealousy and only ever got disgust or indifference.

Logan still remembers how intently he studied her face when he asked her about Parker. He didn't get it then and he doubts he'll get it now, but he'll be damned if he ever stops searching for it.

Jealousy means fire. It means passion. It means she still cares.

It's been over twenty minutes and Veronica has three numbers. She spots what is sure to be her fourth leaning against the wall, drink in hand as he watches a group of girls dancing across from him. She decides to play stupid sorority girl again, since it's worked out well enough so far. She moves toward him with purpose, her hips swaying with each step, and he grins when he sees her, straightening his body as he looks her up and down.  
"You look bored," she giggles, standing beside him. "Want some company?"

"Love some." He continues to check her out, his eyes roaming her body with no attempt to be discreet.

"You in college?" she smiles sweetly, her head cocked to one side.

"UCLA."

Veronica feigns amazement, bringing her hand to her chest for effect. "Me _too_!" she practically squeals. Just then, she spots Logan out of the corner of her eye. He's talking up a curvy brunette, seemingly oblivious to anything else around him. _I have to move things along_, she thinks to herself, not wanting to fall behind in the race. The guy's about to launch into a lengthy discussion of his collegiate career, but Veronica cuts him short. "Ugh, I just remembered that I promised to meet up with a girlfriend. Maybe we can exchange numbers and get together on campus sometime?"

The guy looks a little perplexed, but he pulls out his cell. "What's your name, baby?"

"Madison," she smiles. She plugs his information into her cell phone and gives him Logan's number as her own.

Her fifth number is sitting at a corner table with another man and woman. Veronica picks him because he looks harmless enough, and he's wearing a West Coast University sweatshirt, so she has an opening line. As she's making her way toward her conquest, Logan breezes past her. She turns to see where he's going, and as if he knows she's watching him, he pivots on his heel and spins to face her, grinning as he holds up his right hand and three fingers on his left. Veronica scowls as he continues to walk backwards before disappearing into the crowd. Now she really needs to up the ante.

Fifth number's name is Jon, and his overall awkwardness lets her know that the club scene isn't really his thing. He keeps running a nervous hand through his curly black hair, and he doesn't make eye contact as Veronica shamelessly flirts. His bashfulness doesn't make things easy for her, and she's ready to cut her losses and move on. While Jon is fumbling through stories about his hometown and college major, Veronica's mind wanders. She reminds herself to keep an eye out for a red leather jacket with a black star, because she _is_ working a case, but she knows she's really watching for Logan. He's wearing jeans and a thin, black v-neck sweater. Nothing about his ensemble would stick out in the crowd, but Veronica knows the curve of his shoulders like the back of her hand. Hell, after spending hours running her hands down along his back, tracing patterns on his skin and kissing away the salty moisture of his sweat, there's very few things she knows better.

She dreamt about him earlier. Mid-afternoon, when she realized she'd have a late night in LA, she decided to take a nap on her couch. She woke up about an hour later, warm and content, stretching languidly as images from her dream came to her in little puzzle pieces that she tried to fit back together.

For the first time in a long time, nobody else was invading her subconscious. It was only her and Logan, hanging out in his room at Neptune Grand. Or walking side-by-side along the beach. Or huddled together in the library. All of those images felt very real to her, like the memories in her mind, and she realized it was because at one time, they were real. It made her feel good, to see that. She even wished her dream was some recordable thing that she could replay on her TV right then, just to feel the goodness for a little bit longer and to remember it as it actually happened.

She shrugged it off by the time he came to pick her up. It was easier that way.

She sees him just then, with another girl. His number nine, or maybe ten, he moves so damn fast. Her number five is all but forgotten as she focuses all of her attention on Logan in action. They're about ten feet ahead, the girl against a wall as Logan stands beside her, leaning on his side, one arm propped above his head and resting flat against the surface of the wall. He leans further into her, so now the girl seems to be willingly trapped between the wall and his body. Veronica can only make out the side of the girl's face, which is partially hidden beneath a mask of wavy dark hair. But she has a clearer view of Logan, of every expression dancing across his face as he lays on the charm.

Veronica has to remind herself that this is all just a game, and that the looks he's giving someone else mean nothing. Logan's eyes, dark, intense, and sickeningly sexy, are locked on the woman in front of him. He's talking, and then she's talking, and then he's talking again. What about, Veronica can only imagine. The girl seems more confident now, and brazenly reaches up to rest her hand against Logan's chest. His eyes widen just a bit as the girl leans in to say something.

Unable to take anymore of the disgusting display, Veronica forces herself to focus on Jon. He's still idly chatting, a bit more relaxed with each word. She tries to pay attention to him, but her thoughts takeover again.

The look Logan was giving that girl was a look he used to give Veronica. Was it so easy for him, to transfer his affections on the whim? Could it be any girl in front of him and he would still treat them as he had treated her? The secret looks, the special touches, and seemingly uncharacteristic tenderness that she was so sure was reserved only for her now seemed to be public domain. Was Veronica that interchangeable? Was she so easy to replace?

Maybe she was a replacement herself. She saw firsthand how he was with Lilly. It's all her own fault for ever allowing herself to think that she held a special place in Logan Echolls's heart when she was probably nothing more than another notch on his belt.

Oh, she is _pissed_ now.

Did Kendall's name falling from his lips sound just like hers? Did he spend a lazy afternoon naked with Hannah, telling her in detail about his favorite parts of her body? Did he run his fingers through Madison's hair? _Madison_. Fuck, how hard did he try to make her feel good when all she ever did was try to make Veronica feel bad?

And what about Parker? Veronica had assumed that Logan would have been her first after the rape. Did Logan treat her just as he had treated Veronica their first time? Did he let her be on top, his hands on her hips as he helped set the pace? It was probably in his room in the Grand, in the very same bed. Did they shower together afterwards, too? Did Logan go down on her then, making her feel so amazingly good that she was practically begging for it again?

Veronica feels her throat constricting. But she won't cry. No, she wants to make him feel as bad as he makes her feel. Fuck their little game here. Logan wouldn't care if she came away with fifty numbers. Hell, he'd probably slap her on the back in congratulations and tell her that all that practice with the football team must've paid off.

It wouldn't mean anything if she left with _hundreds_ of numbers. But she knows him well enough to know that it would hurt him if she left with only one.

Veronica turns her attention back to Jon now. "Wanna go out on the balcony?"

He's watching them. Of that she's sure. She saw the way his eyes flitted toward her as she took Jon's hand and made her way outside. She makes sure to pay special attention to Jon now. To smile, bright and warm. To laugh any chance she can. She keeps his hand in hers as they look out on to the city. It must be quite the ego bruiser to see your ex-girlfriend so happy with someone else rather than pining away. Not that she had ever thought about that before. Definitely not.

"Veronica?"

They hadn't even been outside for more than five minutes. It's a small victory, but she enjoys it.

Veronica spins around, smiling. "Hey, Logan. Logan, this is Jon. Jon, Logan." She turns to Jon now. "He's the friend from Neptune who's helping me on my case." Yeah, there it is- the wince. It'd probably go unnoticed by anyone else, but she saw it. It was the only reason she decided to be honest with Jon. Such truthfulness wasn't exactly part of the game.

"It's almost midnight," Logan tells her, ignoring the other man.

Veronica feigns confusion. "Are you going to turn into a pumpkin?" Beside her, Jon laughs.

Logan finally spares a glance toward number five before gently grabbing Veronica by her elbow and pulling her away.

"Game over. How'd you do?" he asks once they're more than an earshot's distance.

"Oh. I kind of stopped playing when I started talking to Jon here. He's actually from San Diego." She's lying, not having paid enough attention to anything he had said to know more than his first name. "We're going to try and get together when he's in town for Spring Break next week."

"I see. So you were _losing_ and now you're pulling the, 'I stopped playing!' card. Sneaky, Mars."

Veronica dismisses him with a laugh. "Yeah, you got me. Think you can keep yourself preoccupied for awhile? I'm kind of in the middle of something." She motions toward Jon. Logan's eyes darken, but he recovers quickly.

"By all means. I'm sure I can find…something to do." He smirks and offers a two-fingered salute toward Jon before he goes back inside the club.

"Let's go back in, too," Jon, now back at her side, says. "It's getting kind of chilly."

Veronica nods absently, her thoughts back to Logan. She should have had one-up on him, but she feels far from victorious. Her mood is dark as she imagines him grabbing one of the many girls in the club and effortlessly killing an hour.

Well, fuck him. He can screw whoever he wants. He can do everything he's done with her with any random stranger. Or he can go ahead and get an STD or knock up some other girl and forever ruin any chance they may have of getting back together.

The lights in the club dim for a moment, and Veronica's so angry she wonders if she did it, somehow going all Carrie White in Elevate Lounge because she's so pissed at her idiotic ex. Jon's hand is at the small of her back, and together they maneuver around all the other club-goers. They're heading back to the bar when the lights go out completely this time, the music stopping abruptly. The club is dark now, everyone voicing their annoyance.

Veronica can barely make out her hand in front of her face, but she pulls away from Jon and tries to reach blindly for the bar area. "I'm sure the emergency lights will come on soon," Jon tells her, but she's already out of his reach, dodging bodies as she tries to find something sturdy to hold on to.

She's being pushed around now as everyone tries to move at once. The skyline is dark now, the entire city in a blackout, and the moonlight provides little illumination.

"Veronica?" she hears Logan calling her again, his voice a bit panicked. She calls out, "Over here!" waving her arm, even though she's not sure he can see it. She can make out his outline as he pushes past other people to make his way to her.

He reaches out for her, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her to him. "Let's get out of here before you get trampled." She doesn't protest, poor Jon long forgotten as she trails behind Logan, her hand in his. She doesn't know where he's leading her, and she's pretty sure he doesn't know where he's going either, but she still follows.

They move through the masses of people, passing the still crowded dance floor. Veronica's not sure of the exact layout of the club, but she thinks they're heading toward the restaurant next door. "How the fuck do we get out of here?" Logan asks her, frustrated.

By this time, the emergency lights have come on, so Veronica points to the closest red exit sign. "Follow the yellow brick road."

"No good," Logan says, motioning to the security scrambling around them. "And we need to find the stairs." Veronica is about to argue, but Logan is already dragging her with him. She's all for finding a less crowded spot until the lights come back on, but she doesn't want to leave without her money shot.

Logan leads her to an unmarked white door, and he jingles the knob as he keeps an eye out for security. Finding it unlocked, he pulls her with him. Soon they find themselves in a back stairwell, dangerously dark despite the emergency lights along the ceiling.

"C'mon," he tells her, her hand still in his as they slowly descend the stairs. "Be careful."

"I'm sure the lights will come back on any minute," she protests. "Don't you wanna stick around for some sushi?"

"I hate blackouts. I just want to get out of here."

"Aw, Logan, are you afraid of the dark?" she teases. When he doesn't say anything, she continues. "I can't leave. Sheryl wanted pictures. And I don't want to die trying to go down twenty-one flights of stairs in the dark."

"I won't let you fall," he tells her, resolute.

"What about my case?"

Logan stops and pulls out his cell phone. "This good enough?" It's an only slightly blurry picture of a man in a red jacket kissing a girl with long, dark hair. While it's far from the quality of her small digital camera, it's still a pretty decent shot. It works in a pinch, she thinks.

"He was there and you didn't come and get me?" She turns to lightly punch him on the arm.

"You looked _busy_. Besides, I didn't want you to accuse me of interrupting anything." He pauses for a minute before adding, "I hope you got to say your goodbyes to your boyfriend. Wouldn't want him to worry about you getting lost in the dark."

Jon. Damn, she already forgot about him. She also somehow forgot how pissed off she was at Logan. But it was all coming back to her now.

"I got his number. I'll call him later," she tells him coolly.

He reaches for her hand again to help her continue down the stairs. Veronica doesn't fight it. "How many numbers did you get in all?"

"I told you I wasn't really playing anymore. But if you insist on knowing, Jon was my fifth."

"Only five, huh? No wonder you quit."

"I got the only one I wanted," she informs him. She waits a beat. "How many did you get?"

She can see him grinning even in the dark. "Eleven."

"Must've been a slow night," she sighs. Veronica misjudges the number of steps then, stumbling a bit before Logan steadies her. "Here," he tells her, moving to her other side. "You hold on to the railing."

"What if the door leading out to the first floor is locked?"

"You didn't bring your lock picking kit? Uh oh."

"Let's just go back upstairs," she says, annoyed. "We can wait for the lights to come on and I can find Jon. And you can find one of your numbers and we'll all be happy."

"Wow, this Jon must be a real keeper. I haven't seen you this excited about something since they brought back the McRib."

"Fuck you, okay?" Logan turns to her, his mouth open in shock. Veronica pulls her hand out of his and moves to the landing. She crosses her arms defensively, carefully pacing back and forth on the small space.

"What the hell is your problem?" he asks her, still dumbfounded. She doesn't answer. "Veronica?"

"Nothing. I'm just tired. Let's go." Logan reaches for her arm, forcing her to look at him. There's a single emergency light on the wall behind them, and it allows him to see her face perfectly, her blue eyes sharp and sad all at once. They stare at one another for many seconds, not saying anything.

"Logan," she falters, seemingly unable to stop herself from asking the next question. "How many women have you been with?"

Logan laughs nervously, his face confused. "What?"

She swallows thickly, but repeats the question. He stares at her for a moment before looking upwards, exasperated. "That's really none of your business."

Veronica nods. She knows that. But lots of things are none of her business. It's never stopped her before.

He moves to take a seat on one of the steps in front of her. "Why do you care?"

She shrugs, not even sure of the answer herself. Finally, in a rare moment of vulnerability and against her better judgment, she opts for one of the truths. "It doesn't seem to be a big deal to you, to sleep with someone. I don't understand how you can be like that."

Logan regards her seriously. "You're confusing sex and love, Veronica. For a lot of people, they're not the same thing."

"But it's the same to _me_!" she responds, her voice thick with emotion. "How many?"

He exhales slowly, readying himself for her reaction. "I don't know…twenty, maybe?"

"_Twenty_?" she parrots, incredulous.

"Give or take," he bites back in annoyance. "Most of those were after Lilly died, if you must know. Which you do." He doesn't know what to make of the frustrated tears in her eyes, but he's pissed that he allowed himself to give her another reason to think less of him. Regardless of what she thought in the past, now she's _sure_ that Logan's a whore.

"How many times have you been in love?" She's as taken by surprise by her question as he is. She watches him carefully, and it's then she realizes that she has been holding her breath as she waits for his answer.

"Twice." He pauses, looking down at his hands. "But I'm not even sure if the first time counts anymore. After knowing she could do…that." He looks up to meet her eyes. "How many times have you been in love?" he returns, dreading her answer but still needing to know.

"Twice," she replies quickly. He wanted the answer to be once, to be _him_, but he knows better than that. At least now he's sure she wasn't head-over-heels for Piz. Unless life is punching him in the stomach again and Piz _is_ her second love. Would he even be surprised at this point?

"If Duncan came back, would you want to be with him?" It's the question he's always wanted to ask, even if he's terrified of her response.

"Duncan's not coming back," she answers flatly.

"If he was?"

She's looking at him like's nuts, and her reply is firm. "No."

He doesn't blame himself for not believing her. "Why not?"

"Because we're over." She says this as if it's the most obvious thing in the world, like it's just that simple. Maybe to her, it is. He's gone and that's that. But Logan's not sure if he'll ever believe it is that easy; the idea of Veronica loving and still wanting Duncan will always be in the back of his mind. It's one of his many crosses to bear.

She steps closer to him. With Logan sitting on the stairs and Veronica standing before him, they're practically eye level. "Did you sleep with Hannah?"

He rolls his eyes. "No."

"Parker?" she pushes, her voice small. He nods, and her jaw clenches. "Well, I hope you were a gentleman."

"It wasn't a big deal," he sighs. At her look of disbelief, he elaborates. "Parker was already back in the game before we slept together. Some guy on Wallace's floor, I think." Veronica is imagining them discussing this, the intimacy of it, and that hurts in a whole new way. "Don't tell her I told you that," Logan adds, a bit ashamed he gave away another person's privacy. After a moment's hesitation, he continues the questioning. "Did you sleep with Piz?"

"No. We only ever…you _saw_ the video," she finishes.

"Yeah," he replies bitterly. "But I didn't watch all of it," he confesses quickly, hoping that somehow eases her embarrassment.

"You seemed happy with Parker," Veronica tells him absently, her focus on her feet.

"I wanted to be."

"I was so pissed that you went after Piz when you had Parker. It felt like you could move on but you didn't want me to."

"That's not why I went after Piz." They had already been through this and it wasn't something he wanted to go over again.

"I know." She sighs, resigned to her feelings. The whole night, most of it fighting with Logan or being angry with Logan, has taken its toll on her. She moves her hand to his face and gently strokes his cheek. "Sometimes it's just easier to think the worst of you," she admits.

"Why?"

"I don't know," she answers honestly, pulling her hand away. She thinks seriously for a minute, feeling as though she owes him some sort of explanation. "Maybe because I'm afraid that the one time I don't will be the one time I should."

He shakes his head in frustration. "You still don't trust me. After everything, you still don't trust me."

"I'm _still_ working on it," she promises. It's all she's got. She moves as close to him as she can, her shoes against the bottom step. She can smell his cologne.

"Do you think you'll ever be able to trust me?"

"Yes." She sounds sure because she is sure. She has to believe she'll workout all her kinks one day. Despite what most think, she's painfully aware of all of her shortcomings.

Veronica feels as though it's her turn to ask another question. She treads carefully, unsure of how she wants to reopen this can of worms. But after the way she tortured herself with her imagination, she has to know the truth. "Was sex with Madison good?"

He knew it was coming sooner or later. "I was drunk. I really don't even remember."

"She said you weren't big on the one-piece numbers." Logan looks confused, but she ignores him and continues. "I figured you guys made a whole night of it."

"I told you I don't remember anything. A bunch of us from high school were all staying on the same floor at the resort. I woke up and she was in my bed. And I spent the morning throwing up, for more reasons than one."

She has to smile at that, relieved that it wasn't all she thought it was. She pushes on. "What about with Kendall? And Parker?"

Logan's jaw tenses at her questions. "What do you want me to say, Veronica? That I thought of you the whole time?"

She blanches at his tone. "No," she replies, petulant.

"Good, because I didn't." At her hurt expression, he adds, "It's one of the only times I'm _not_ thinking about you."

Her eyes widen a bit at his admission. He wants to touch her, to move his hands to her waist so he can pull her flush against him.

"Do you really like Jon?" he asks her now, his voice low. She shakes her head, her eyes locked with his.

"Did you like any of the girls you met tonight?" she volleys. He smirks, thinking maybe he's finally got one of the things he's always wanted. "No."

"You…you looked at them the way you used to look at me."

He smiles softly, reaching to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear. "Veronica, I never look at anyone the way I look at you."

She looks up, eyeing the stairwell, wondering if they'll be interrupted. Logan scoots forward on the step, and then suddenly his hands are at the back of her thighs, his fingers grazing the edge of her skirt. She relaxes, having missed his touch, and wraps her arms around his neck. "Do you like _me_?" he asks her teasingly, his hands slowly moving higher.

"You're okay," she breathes, her eyes closed. He chuckles as he cups her ass, loving the way the silk of her underwear feels against his hands.

Veronica can feel her body responding to his touch, her nipples tightening as he traces her skin. His hands move down now, to her thighs, knees. "You look so hot in these," he tells her, touching her black knee highs. "How the hell did you only get five numbers?"

She licks her lips, her eyes closed, her body humming. "I wore them for you."

Her eyes open when she feels his touch leaving her body. She watches as Logan leans back to unbuckle his belt, and so she moves her hands to under his sweater so she can caress his abs.

With his belt out of the way and his zipper down, Veronica slips her hand in his pants, palming him through his boxers. He groans, his eyes half closed, and she can barely stand it anymore. "Have you ever fucked on stairs before?" she asks, breathless.

"No." He gently pushes her back, shoving his hands back under her skirt. He hooks his fingers into the waistband of her underwear and pulls them down her legs. Veronica leans heavily on his shoulder as she steps out of them, Logan untangling them from around her high heel shoe before he slips them into the pocket of his jeans.

"Have you thought about me since we broke up?" he whispers in her ear before his lips move to her neck.

"Yes," she moans, gripping his shoulders, her fingers tightly bunching the soft fabric of his sweater. "Have you?"

"All the fucking time." She moves now to straddle him. When she's in his lap, he shifts so he can push his jeans and boxers down past his hips, freeing his cock. He can feel the heat of her against him, her wet warmth, and he wants to bury himself inside of her and never leave. "Are you wet for me?"

"Mm, yeah," she sighs, writhing against him.

"Say it."

"I'm wet for you." Her mouth opens in pleasure as his fingers move to her pussy, and she has to force herself to not crumple in his arms. Instead, she reaches for him, stroking his cock and grinning when he groans.

"Are you hard for me?" she asks, and he nods furiously, his eyes on her hand as she touches him. "Say it."

He looks up at her with so much intensity it dumbfounds her, and she forgets her command as she leans in to kiss him. She moans when his tongue pushes past her lips, and memories of their previous kisses, of all the times they spent like this, wash over her.

They finally break apart, panting. "It's never like this with anyone else," he tells her. "Never."

She nods. She believes him.

"Do you love me?" he asks her, and the vulnerability of it all breaks her heart.

"Yes." She runs her fingers through his thick hair and watches him as he watches her. "I love you," she says, intercepting him, and then kisses him again.

His mouth still on hers, Logan blindly reaches for the wallet in his jeans. Veronica breaks the kiss as he searches for a condom, and she shakes her head in mock disapproval when he finds one. He grins as she takes it from him, tearing the foil with her teeth. He growls, playfully nibbling her earlobe, but the sound turns to a choked sob as she slowly rolls the latex down his shaft.

"I love the way you feel inside of me," she tells him, shifting in his lap so he can enter her. He sighs in pleasure as she surrounds him, fitting him like a glove.

"Me too," he gasps, his hands on her hips. He moves to wrap his arms around her, holding her tight against him in an intimate embrace as he slowly thrusts. It's feels like it's been forever since he's been with her. "Oh god, Veronica, I'm not going to last long."

She leans back, moving one of his hands to her clit to let him know what she wants. He rubs his thumb against her, and brings his other hand to squeeze her breast through her sweater. They both wish they were in his bed, completely naked, completely alone.

"I'm close," she whimpers, and he licks his lips as he watches her. He speeds up the movements of his thumb, and he can feel her on the cusp of release. "We're not leaving my room for the rest of the weekend," he tells her, egging her on. "I'm going to fuck you from behind, with you against the headboard. I want you in the shower. On the bathroom countertop. On the couch."

"You're going to have to throw out Dick," she tells him, bouncing enthusiastically in his lap.

"I'll toss him out so fast his head will spin," he pants. She's almost there, digging her fingernails into his back as she grinds against him, slower now, savoring it. He feels her release as it hits her, and it's exactly what he needed to trigger his own orgasm. She gently nuzzles his neck as he comes, peppering kisses along his throat.

"You know," he rasps, exhausted, "if this were a movie, the lights would have just come on."

She laughs softly, moving out of his lap. "Can I have my underwear back?"

"Keep 'em off," he tells her, removing the condom. "It'll save some trouble when we have a quickie in the car." He looks around the still dim stairwell. "Now what the hell am I supposed to do with this?"

Veronica ignores his question as she looks around them. "Um, where's my purse?"

"I don't know. Did you have it with you when we left?"

She tries to remember where she last had it. "Shit. I think I left it at the bar."

Logan looks up at the more than ten flights of stairs above them. "You'll have to carry me."

"Come along, Butternut," she says, pulling him to his feet. "I'll buy you another appletini."

He wraps his arm around her waist as they start their trek back up to the club. "But can you handle all those women throwing themselves at me?"

She considers it for a moment, her lips pursed in thought. "Probably not, but my taser is in my bag."

"Good. I might need it if Jon's still there."

Veronica sighs, sleepy and content, and rests her head against Logan's chest. "Is my jealous streak going to be a problem?"

"For us? It probably won't even rank."

"I think we've still got a lot to talk about," she tells him honestly. "And I might still have a couple questions. And residual…issues that need to be discussed."

He chuckles and kisses her forehead. "Yeah, I figured. But if you're trying to get me drunk so I'll talk, I'll need something a hell of a lot stronger than an appletini."


	2. Sex, Fries and Videotape

"Veronica?"

"Yeah?" Veronica replies absently, not bothering to look up from her magazine. It's the Monday morning following her reconciliation with Logan and she's sleep-deprived and a little grumpy as she waits for him in the college food court.

"Could we talk for a minute?"

Veronica peers over the top of her magazine to find a very pretty young woman standing beside her table. "Um, okay," she answers, a bit confused after being approached by a total stranger. Ever since her infamous and unwilling launch into the amateur porn ranks almost a year ago, most of her classmates were content with ignoring her. After months of whispers, dirty looks and open teasing, of course.

The girl, a tall number with dark hair cut in a very tasteful and classic bob, nervously takes the seat across from Veronica. "It's about a _case_," she explains, whispering the last word as she folds her hands.

A case? Veronica perks up at that. She was still getting steady work from her peers, but most came to her at Mars Investigations or contacted her through Mac or Wallace. It'd been awhile since she had a random stranger personally request her assistance.

"All right," Veronica says, sliding her magazine to the other side of the table and leaning forward in her seat, indicating to the girl that she was ready for her to explain the problem.

The girl looks around the almost empty cafeteria, and her skittish behavior makes Veronica wonder if the she is nervous about someone overhearing or just embarrassed that she's associating with one Veronica Mars.

"What's your name?" she asks, trying to break the ice.

"Holly," the girl answers, smiling sweetly. "I'm a senior PR major. I think you were in one of my classes last semester." She continues at Veronica's blank expression, "Literature to Film?"

"Oh. Okay," Veronica returns, even though she still can't remember her. "And you need help with something?"

Holly wiggles in her seat, clearly uncomfortable. "Yeah. Well, my boyfriend and I broke up a couple weeks ago. He's moving to New York and he wanted me to come with him after I graduate," she explains. "But I never saw us as long-term, and I just got into USC for grad school, so we ended things."

Veronica nods, waiting for Holly to get to her point.

"Well, _I_ ended things. He didn't take it very well," she elaborates.

"And he's bothering you now? Threatening you? Stalking you? Boiling bunnies?" Veronica ventures.

"There's a tape," Holly states flatly. "And I want it back before he's gone for good. I was hoping you would understand and could help me get it."

"A tape?" Veronica asks, Holly's words suddenly clicking. "Oh, a _tape_."

"I don't want something like that hanging over my head," she explains as she stares down at her hands. "I'd break into his house and take it myself if I knew how get away with it."

"Well, you could always 'go lightly'," Veronica chuckles. She straightens in her seat at Holly's look of confusion. "Sorry. I'm tired. And trust me, breaking and entering is _not_ something you want to try."

"It's just all very embarrassing. It was a thing…he liked to do. He's a little older… successful, wealthy. I met him at a club when I transferred here last year." She exhales before continuing, "It was probably stupid-"

"No," Veronica rushes to stop her rambling. She doesn't understand why Holly would agree to being taped, but she's not going to let her blame herself when this guy reminds her of…

It's not something Veronica ever wanted to think about again, but now that she has, she's determined to use her anger to help Holly.

"What's his name?" Veronica asks as she reaches into her messenger bag for a notebook and pen.

Holly looks relieved. "Harrison Lansing. He's an entertainment lawyer in San Diego. You know, I already asked him for the tape but he said it was his. He keeps a library-"

"Lansing," Veronica repeats the last name, writing it down furiously. "And what's your phone number?"

Holly's reciting digits when Logan appears, a tray full of breakfast food in his hand and a bounce in his step. He drops his bag onto the ground and places the tray on the table, nodding to the stranger across from Veronica as he plops down on the chair next to her.

"Good morning," he enthuses, leaning over to kiss Veronica on the cheek as she closes her notebook.

"How are you so cheerful so early?" she grunts.

"I had a great weekend," he explains, his grin widening at Veronica's shy smile.

Veronica has to pull herself away from their shared look when she remembers her newest client. "Logan, this is Holly."

"Hi," he tells her, turning his attention to the other girl. "It's no Tiffany's, but you're welcome to have breakfast with us," he says, pushing the tray toward her.

"Oh, no thanks. I should really get going. So, Veronica, you'll help me with this?" she asks softly as she rises from her chair and begins gathering her things.

"You can count on it."

"Thank you. Call me later, okay?" Veronica nods and waves goodbye to Holly as she leaves.

"What was that all about?" Logan asks when she's out of sight.

"I," Veronica states confidently, "have a new case."

"How unlike you. Need my assistance?"

"Possibly. I'll let you know. Hey, what time is it?"

"Quarter to nine," he answers, looking at his watch.

"My first class is at 9:20," she sighs. "Barely enough time to enjoy a sausage biscuit."

"Getting together is going to be tough this week. I've got three midterms coming up," Logan adds, grabbing an apple from the tray. "How about a date Friday night?"

"Sounds good."

"Maybe we can talk then," he amends quietly, gently tossing the apple from hand to hand. "You know, since we haven't gotten much talking done since Thursday."

Veronica's smile falters at Logan's implications. They did have a great weekend together and things were going fine without trudging up any unpleasantness, and she wasn't sure if that was something she wanted to risk now, despite anything she had said before.

But telling Logan as much wasn't the best way to begin their week. So she smiles and agrees and takes another bite of her breakfast sandwich.

~+~

The next afternoon, Veronica waits outside of Logan's class as he finishes up on his first midterm. He's out the door a few minutes later, no longer the last one scrambling to finish the exam. She kisses him lightly on the lips as he slips his bag over his shoulder, and they hold hands as they walk down the hallway together. It's easier to be on campus when Logan's at her side; she doesn't feel so self-conscious when she's with him, and it's nice to not be worried about what others might be saying or thinking about her.

They take a seat at their usual table in the food court, and Veronica settles in as Logan grabs their lunch. He returns to her a few minutes later, placing a plate of lasagna and her drink in front of her before taking his seat.

"Still willing to help me out on a case?" she asks as she's digging into the pasta.

"Always."

"Lansing's moving to New York in a few months, but he's still living in his house in San Diego. I need you to call this real estate agency," she slides a business card across the table to Logan, "_today_ and tell her that you're shopping for a house in the area."

"What for?" Logan asks, examining the card.

"His house will be listed on Monday. I need you to try and schedule a showing ASAP. So say you're going out of town for Spring Break next week. The guy keeps a library of his tapes in his bedroom, and I need to get in there soon, before he starts packing anything. This would be the easiest and safest way to get the tape."

"As much as I love playing the Watson to your Sherlock, why are you letting me help you instead of doing it yourself?" Logan asks, suspicious.

"Oh honey, isn't it obvious? I'm using you for your money," she smiles, stealing a breadstick. "_And_ your name. There's no way I could get a private showing with that realtor without some kind of pull."

"Aww, and here I was hoping you were reaching out, meeting me half way…"

"Oh, fine. That too," she grins, taking another bite of her lunch.

~+~

Three days and two midterms later, Veronica and Logan have a standing appointment for a special viewing of Harrison Lansing's humble abode.

"Mr. Echolls, it's a pleasure to meet you," Joanne Taylor, one of the most prominent real estate agents in the city, enthusiastically shakes Logan's hand. Joanne's hair is L'Oreal shade #523, Fire Engine Red, which happens to match her lipstick. She's rocking some very heavy blue eye shadow and is wearing a shiny pantsuit that reminds Veronica of one of the Golden Girls. Why she's regarded as the go-to agent for multi-million dollar sales, Veronica's not sure.

"Oh, and is this your little girlfriend?" Joanne inquires happily, beaming at Veronica. Logan opens his mouth to make the introduction, but Joanne cuts him off. "She's _adorable_! This would be a perfect love nest for you two. Come along, there's quite a bit to see."

_Not an exaggeration_, Veronica thinks to herself as they start up the walkway. The large Spanish style home, according to Joanne, is a three bedroom, two bath "slice of heaven," complete with a game room, home gym and, apparently, sex tape video library.

"Now, as I told you on the phone, the house isn't even on the market yet, but I expect it to go quick," Joanne informs them from over her shoulder as she unlocks the front door.

"What's the list price?" Logan asks as they enter.

"Only 2.2, can you believe it? It's practically a steal."

"Gotta love a housing crisis," Veronica adds. Joanne laughs heartily, gently touching Veronica's arm. "Oh, not if you're me. But it's the perfect time to buy your first home. This is the foyer," she motions to the area around them. "The owner's a bachelor, hasn't done much in the way of decorating, but you could do wonders with a woman's touch."

"What do you think, _dear_? Wouldn't this be the perfect spot for my Statue of David replica?" Logan asks as he takes in the space.

Joanne grins, missing Veronica's eye roll. "Now you're thinking! And wait 'til you see the kitchen!"

Twenty minutes later, (and dammit if Veronica wouldn't kill for that double wall oven), they're making their way to the formal living space. "A perfect spot for entertaining," Joanne explains.

She's just about to launch into a lengthy description of the crown molding when Veronica interrupts. "Do you think we could see the upstairs now?"

~+~

When Veronica agreed to take this case, she had a very vivid mental picture of Harrison Lansing. He was supposed to be cold and calculating, a suave businessman who takes advantage of young girls and tapes their sexual escapades for his own personal enjoyment. He wasn't supposed to be the type of have more video games than Logan and Dick combined, stuffed animals on his dresser top, or a giant gumball machine in the corner of his master bedroom.

"You think he'd throw that in with the price of the house?" Logan asks, pointing.

Veronica elbows him in the side. "Let's get a move on before date night's a bust, okay?"

"Joanne?" Logan speaks up, turning to the realtor. "Do you think Veronica and I could have a minute to discuss things?"

"Of course. You two take your time and think things over, and I'll be in the kitchen." Logan and Veronica smile innocently as Joanne leaves the room.

"Okay," Veronica states, getting down to business as soon as the realtor is gone, "let's find this damn thing so we can get out of here." She moves toward the large built-ins on the one side of the suite as Logan takes a seat on the bed.

"It's a pretty nice house."

"I guess, if you're in to that Mediterranean look," Veronica replies as she searches through the drawers.

"You're not?"

"I don't know. I like a more classic style."

"You mean a white picket fence and a big yard for 2.5 kids?"

"_1.5_. I want time for a career. Aha! Jackpot," Veronica exclaims, opening the door to a cabinet with shelves full of DVDs.

She searches through the titles, mostly comedies and action flicks, for the tape of Holly. On the bottom shelf, next to a few mainstream pornographies, is a blank jewel case. She opens it to find a DVD-R with "Me and Holly," written across the top, a heart drawn next to the letters.

"Going for the obvious, I'd say this is it," she says, examining the case.

"So that's the sex tape library? A couple copies of _Girls Gone Wild_ and one tape with your girlfriend?" Logan asks in disbelief. "I thought this guy was supposed to be some kind of sex maniac?"

"I don't know," Veronica replies, searching through the DVD collection again, opening up cases to random movies to check their contents. "Maybe he has more hidden somewhere else?"

"Or maybe Holly knew exactly what to say to get you to do this in such a hurry?" Logan suggests, angry.

Veronica sighs and puts the disc in a case in her bag. "Well, I agreed to it. Should I replace it with a copy of _Milo and Otis_ like I planned or just leave the case empty?"

"How soon do you think he'll notice it's gone?"

"Based on the number of pictures of Holly he still has hanging everywhere, I wouldn't be surprised if he watches this every night."

"Don't worry about it. If he even tells Joanne that something's missing, I'll handle it, okay?"

Veronica smiles at Logan, watching him as he gently bounces in his seat on the bed. "Thanks."

"C'mon, let's go break Joanne's heart," he tells her, standing. He reaches for her hand and helps pull her to her feet.

"How much do you think she's losing on commission?" Veronica asks, tucking herself into Logan's side.

"Probably about sixty grand."

Veronica whistles. "_Damn._ I'm in the wrong business."

~+~

By the time Veronica drops the tape off to Holly and heads back home to walk Backup, shower and shave her legs, it's almost 7 p.m. Her father's out of town for the weekend on a case, and so she calls Logan to discuss their plans. They both agree to room service and a movie marathon. Her pick.

She shows up at the Grand at a quarter after eight, several DVDs in her hand and an overnight bag slung over her shoulder.

"What do you want me to order for you?" Logan asks after she lets herself in.

Veronica thinks for a moment as she lets her bag slide to the floor. "Mm, burger, fries and chocolate shake."

"Sounds good," he replies, picking up the phone to dial room service.

After Logan orders dinner, he drops down on the couch beside Veronica, kicking his feet up to rest on the ottoman. "What're we watching?"

Veronica grins as she reaches for the movies at her side. "Who's your favorite Disney princess?"

"_Disney_?" Logan asks, borderline disgusted. He examines her collection, which includes _Beauty and the Beast_, _Sleeping Beauty_ and _The Little Mermaid._

"What, no _Lion King_?"

"Not tonight. Come on, pick which one you want to watch first."

Logan heaves a put-upon sigh before pointing at _Sleeping Beauty_.

"Ah, the blonde. A good choice," Veronica says as she opens the case and moves to the DVD player.

"I'm nothing if not a gentleman," he manages half-heartedly, not quite looking forward to the movie part of their date.

After setting everything up, Veronica settles back into her seat next to Logan, leaning against his side. "This is one of my favorites."

They watch in silence for the first couple of minutes, Logan fidgeting uncomfortably as he tries to pay attention to the movie. "Okay," he starts, disrupting the quiet as the fairies greet Princess Aurora. "So the gift of beauty and the gift of song. Why no gift of intelligence? Or gift of humor? This entire movie is insulting to women."

"We're not turning it off," Veronica replies, not taking her eyes off the screen.

Logan sighs dramatically, but he doesn't protest. He waits about three seconds before adding, "Also, Merryweather? Definitely a lesbian."

"_What_?" Veronica laughs, incredulous.

"She doesn't ping your gaydar at all?"

"She's a _cartoon_!"

"Cartoons have sexual orientations. Aurora is straight. Prince Phillip is straight. Well, allegedly."

Veronica grabs the remote to pause the film. "Just because she prefers blue over pink doesn't make her a lesbian."

"That's not it. You can just tell. Same with Cogsworth from _Beauty and the Beast_."

"Cogsworth, too?" she scoffs. "Let me guess…Lumière is his lover?"

"Lumière isn't gay. He's just French. Besides, he was fucking that maid, the feather duster."

Veronica smiles in spite of herself, but her voice doesn't belie her disbelief. "Disney characters don't fuck."

"Make love. Whatever."

"They didn't even have genitalia," she counters seriously.

"Why do you think they were so hell bent on getting that curse lifted?" He glances over at Veronica, and her raised brow conveys her skepticism. "Hey, clocks and candlesticks don't have to pay taxes, is all I'm saying."

Veronica hits the play button to continue the movie, shaking her head but not pushing the argument. Onscreen, Maleficent is cursing the newborn Princess, condemning her to death by her 16th birthday. It's one of Veronica's favorite scenes. She sinks further into the couch and wraps her right arm around Logan's left, resting her head against his bicep. "Now be quiet, it's getting good."

The room service arrives just as Aurora and Philip meet in the forest, and so Veronica stops the movie in consideration of Logan's appetite. She channel surfs as they eat, and he tries to stay as close to her as physically possible while balancing a plate full of french fries on his lap. Frustrated with the Friday night selections, Veronica finally settles on one of the programming guides.

"You don't want to finish the movie?" Logan asks, burger in hand.

"No," she replies, absently swirling a fry in some ketchup. "We can find something else to watch."

"It's your pick tonight," he reminds her gently. "We'll watch whatever you want. I'll even shut up."

"Is that possible?" she asks, feigning shock. He doesn't reply, just stuffs his mouth full of food as he continues to watch her. "It's okay. Maybe Disney night was a bit too extreme. Guess I just wanted to remind you that, yes, I _am_ a girl."

"Trust me," he tells her, mid-chew, "I'm very aware and very appreciative of you being a girl."

"You better be," she smiles, reaching to feed him a fry. "Maybe next time we'll have that Steve McQueen marathon you've been pushing."

"You," Logan starts, moving his plate to the ottoman as he leans in to Veronica, "are the best girlfriend ever." He punctuates the statement with a kiss, and then uses his thumb to tenderly wipe away some ketchup from the corner of her mouth.

"He says when he gets his way," she counters.

"Hey, I'll watch another one of your picks. _Little Mermaid_? Sebastian's the gay character in that one."

Veronica shakes her head. "I had no idea you were so homophobic. And against cartoon characters, too."

Logan's mouth drops open in shock, truly offended. "I am not. I was just pointing out the obvious, Ms. Detective. I fully support their choice of lifestyle."

"Ah, so homosexuality is a choice?"

Now Logan shakes his head in annoyance, muttering, "I _hate_ you," as she smiles in satisfaction.

"Okay, let's see what's on pay-per-view," she tells him, using the remote to navigate through the programming guide. Logan has been rebuilding his impressive movie collection, but Veronica's interested in the new releases.

"It's Friday night, hon. You're going to have to scroll through a lot of porn."

_No kidding,_ she thinks as she quickly reads through some of the titles, her face scrunching in disgust. "_Bareback Mount Him? Seriously_?"

"Just skip to 650," Logan laughs.

Veronica ignores him and continues reading through the X-rated options. "Ah, the Pam and Tommy tape." Beside her, Logan yawns and slouches further in his seat. Veronica continues to search through the listings and sees that there's a couple other celebrity sex tapes available. She studies the TV for a minute, seemingly lost in thought. "Why do you think people do it?" she suddenly asks, her curiosity genuine.

Logan knows what she's asking and he doesn't bother with any obvious jokes, instead answering with, "I don't think most people intend for anyone else to see it."

"Still, I don't get it."

"Who knows?" Logan sighs, clearly uncomfortable with the topic. He knows that the idea has been heavily weighing on Veronica's mind since Holly first approached her. Their history with Aaron's tapes with Lilly and then Veronica's own tape with Piz makes it a touchy subject for them both.

"Have _you_…ever…" Veronica trails off, struggling with the words.

Logan slouches even further into the couch, his shoulders slumping as he awkwardly plays with his hands. "Lilly wanted to, once." He exhales loudly, shifting his position to lean more on his left side. "I was into it before I realized she just wanted to piss off Celeste. I didn't think it was worth the ass-kicking I would have gotten from Aaron."

Veronica nods solemnly, her eyes trained straight ahead at the television screen even though she's no longer paying attention to the channel guide. "It just…seems pretty narcissistic," she finally says.

"Yeah," he agrees quietly, knowing they're both thinking about his father. He turns his head to look at her then, even though she's still staring at the TV. "How'd things go tonight with Holly?"

"I gave her the tape, she gave me the money. I told her I couldn't guarantee there weren't copies."

"Did you call her out on that bullshit 'library'?"

"No," Veronica admits, her voice low. "I just wanted to get out of there. I guess I can't blame her too much for wanting that tape back at any cost."

"Yeah, but didn't she lie to you? Make you think this Lansing guy was, I don't know, Aaron-lite?"

"Not exactly," Veronica admits, a bit reluctant. She turns now to meet Logan's eyes. "She didn't tell me too much about him. I sort of…drew my own conclusions."

The slow smile tugging at the corner of Logan's mouth doesn't annoy her as much as it should. "Shut up," she tells him, smiling too.

He doesn't say anything, just reaches for her hand, entwining their fingers. She stares down at their joined hands, studying the way Logan rubs his thumb along her knuckle, marveling at his gentleness, at the sheer size of his hand, so much larger than her own. She feels herself growing warmer, and the need to be closer to him overwhelms her. Suddenly the room feels colder as her skin gets hotter, and her nipples tighten beneath her thin, long-sleeve thermal.

Her eyes trail up Logan's arm, to his large muscles straining against the tight fabric of his black t-shirt. She loves how strong he is, even though she sometimes hates how he uses that strength. But then she thinks of him taking down Gory, practically throwing him across the room as if he were a sack of flour, and she's almost ashamed of how hot it makes her.

His neck is long and slender, and his throat muscles at work as he takes a sip of his chocolate shake. She watches him as he watches the TV, and takes her time appreciating his handsome features in profile: the strong, defined jaw; perfectly straight nose; perfectly kissable lips.

He turns to her then, oblivious to her scrutiny. "Want to watch that new Russell Crowe movie?"

Veronica doesn't answer him. Instead, she scrambles to move into his lap, throwing her leg over his as she grabs the back of his head and pulls him into a kiss. His mouth is cold from the milkshake, and she can taste remnants of the chocolate as her tongue slides against his. He breathes out in surprise, still trying to catch his bearings after she pounced on him, and the warm air is a stark but pleasant contrast to the chill from his tongue.

Logan recovers quickly, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her against him as they continue to kiss deeply. His hands move to trace the section of bare skin right above the waistband of her jeans, and he can't help but moan at the softness of her.

"Logan," she pants, pulling her mouth away from his. He stops, his breathing heavy, his eyes opening slowly to focus on her. "Logan, do you…do you have your camcorder here?"


	3. Sex, Fries and Videotape continued

"Logan," she pants, pulling her mouth away from his. He stops, his breathing heavy, his eyes opening slowly to focus on her. "Logan, do you…do you have your camcorder here?"

"What?" he breathes, his brow furrowed in confusion.

She bites her bottom lip, embarrassed. "Your camcorder. I thought…" She trails off, inhaling deeply.

"Seriously?" he asks, his hands falling away from her back. "That's something you really want to do?" He doesn't sound exactly thrilled about the idea, more surprised than anything else.

She's quiet at first, her eyes downcast. "I don't know."

Logan's known Veronica for a long time, and he prides himself on knowing her, _really_ knowing all of her, better than anyone. But this throws him.

"Is that what you want?" he asks, his voice softer now. The last thing he wants is for her to feel ashamed for asking about it, but he feels the need to reason with her.

She shrugs. "We can delete it after, right? And Dick's gone, so we're all alone tonight."

Logan reaches to cup her cheek as he stares into her eyes, studying her face for any tells. He doesn't want to ask her again for fear she'd find it patronizing, so he promises himself that he'll gauge her comfort levels in the bedroom. "Okay."

She nods slightly and then moves off of his lap to stand and hold out her hand for his. He rises from the couch and follows her lead into the bedroom, closing the door behind him.

She sits on the bench at the foot of the bed while Logan sets up his video camera, which hasn't been used since Dick borrowed it to tape himself for his very short-lived video blog.

"Are you sure about this?" he asks again, watching Veronica nervously tap her foot while she waits for him to finish positioning the tripod.

"We can always stop and erase it," she reasons. "Are _you_ okay with it?"

Logan focuses the camera, making sure the bed is framed properly in the shot. _This is Bizzaro world,_ he thinks, especially going from a Disney movie marathon to choreographing their own sexcapades. But if it's what she wants, _really_ wants for reasons he might not even understand, then he'll go along with it. The idea to do this himself had never really crossed his mind, at least not since the revelation of his father's proclivities. And especially not since Dick showed him the video of Veronica with Piz. It seemed more like a mood killer to him; unpleasant reminders of things best forgotten. Hell, even porn wasn't the same after that, which certainly didn't make being a single teenage boy any easier.

He wonders if negative associations with what should be nothing more than a private kink are driving Veronica right now. That he could relate to. Trying to cover up bad memories with good ones is how he tries to live his life now, and Veronica herself is a huge part of that.

"Logan?" she calls, interrupting his thoughts. He looks up from the viewfinder to see her worrying her bottom lip again, her hands gripping the edge of the bench.

He has his doubts, but he's not going to let her know that. So he grins as he presses the record button. "Are you ready for your close up?"

Veronica visibly relaxes when he smiles and jokingly raises her hands to cover her face. "Please tell me that's not a high definition camera."

"You kidding? Nothing but the best."

She lowers her hands to find Logan moving toward her. The expensive digital camcorder is on, positioned off to the side of the bed. Anything is better than overhead security cameras.

"Hey," he says, kneeling in front of her, "anytime you want to turn it off, just say the word."

"You too," she amends, leaning forward to rest her forehead against his. She can feel his warm breath against her face, their lips only inches apart.

"How do we even get started with this?" she asks, her eyes closed as she relaxes against him.

Logan pulls back, rising to his feet to stand beside the bed. He reaches for the hem of his t-shirt, yanking it up and over his head in one quick movement before throwing it off to the side. Then he moves to the mattress, resting on his knees with his back to the mess of throw pillows at the top of the bed.

Veronica turns in her seat on the bench to watch him, his muscled chest bare now, the vee of his hips peeking from the top of his low slung jeans. She tries to forget about the camera, about her nerves, about Aaron and Lilly and Piz, about anything that's not Logan and Logan's abs. She sits back straighter now, focused and resolved, and then moves to climb on the bed. She walks on her knees to position herself in front of Logan, her hand reaching out to pull at the waistband of his pants.

"Not yet," he instructs, covering her hand with his own and moving it away from his fly. "I want to go slow tonight."

She nods in agreement. Slow sounds nice. They haven't been together since the previous weekend, and then it was a just a blur of sex, the euphoria from their recent reunion spurring them on.

They kneel directly in front of each other, planning their next move as if it were a game of chess. Finally Logan licks his lips and moves in for a kiss. She meets his mouth halfway, her arms locking around his neck as his tongue pushes past her lips.

Veronica's fingers dance up along the nape of Logan's neck, moving up to thread through his hair as she pulls him to her. He moans against her mouth, his hands, palms open, moving from her waist to her back. God, he loves how small she is, the tininess of her, the way his hand spanning her backside almost covers her completely. He reaches lower to cup her ass, lifting her up and closer to his chest.

She's wearing a black thermal tee, its softness against his front a pleasant contrast to the rough denim of her jeans. His fingers glide under the bottom of her shirt, tracing against her soft skin. He breaks the kiss then, and she raises her arms so he can pull off her top. They can go slow when they're undressed, he reasons, throwing the shirt across the room.

He pulls back to appreciate the sight of Veronica in a very pretty white lace bra, her pale breasts heaving, her long blonde hair falling around her shoulders. Their hesitancy now reminds him of the first time they slept together. They went slow then, taking their time to kiss and caress every inch of skin as it was revealed to them.

She shifts to take the weight off of her legs, pulling her feet out from under her to sit on the mattress. Logan moves with her, leaning forward on his hands and knees, trapping her between his arms. She ducks her head, smiling, and he grins as he lowers himself, taking her mouth in another kiss.

Veronica grips his shoulders as she falls back against the bed, their lips locked together. He relaxes on top of her, letting her take more of his weight as he straightens his body to lie flush with hers. Her hardened nipples rub against his chest as she moves her hands down his back, the tips of her fingers gently tickling him. Logan moves his mouth to her chin, kisses along from her jaw line to the back of her ear. She stretches her neck, telling him without words where she wants him, and so he latches on to her pulse point, suckling at her skin with vigor.

She turns her head for easier access, her eyes tight shut and mouth open in pleasure as she moans his name. Slow is good, but she's not sure how much more of this she can take.

"I've thought about you all week," he confesses, his lips against her collarbone. He moves lower, pressing open mouth kisses along the top of her breasts, and then looks up to watch her as he pulls down her bra cup, exposing her to him.

"So have I," she tells him just as his tongue makes contact with her nipple. "Mmm, I've thought about this."

He smiles against her breast, kissing all along her skin. "Me too." He rises up on his forearms, aligning his face with hers. "You'd be so annoyed with me if you knew how much time I wasted thinking about fucking you."

She's far too turned on to be annoyed now. "I think about it too, you know."

He pretends to be scandalized, his eyes widening comically. "_Really_?"

She laughs softly, her hands once again at his shoulders. "You'd be surprised."

"So surprise me," he whispers, nuzzling the tip of his nose along her cheekbone.

Feeling emboldened, Veronica pushes him back, moving to sit up and once again rest on her knees. She reaches behind her, unhooking her bra, and then slowly slides the straps down her arms. She watches as Logan stares unabashedly at her breasts, the bra falling to the bed, forgotten. "I've thought about tonight," she admits. "About what I wanted to do to you."

"What?" he pants, his eyes still on her breasts, his hands reaching out to cup her.

She unsnaps the top button of her jeans. "Lots of things."

"Like what?" he presses, his voice growing more desperate.

Veronica lowers her zipper and then pushes her pants down her thighs. "I want to go down on you tonight," she tells him, falling back on her ass so she can kick off her jeans. When she's free of them, left only in white thong underwear, she meets his eyes. "I want to go down on you and I want to swallow."

"Christ," he groans, his eyes closed.

"Sit back," she commands as she rises on the bed. Logan follows her orders, shifting to lie against the pillows. She tries not to think of the camera as she fumbles with his jeans. In all honesty, taping themselves wasn't something she planned when she thought about tonight.

She pulls at the waistband, yanking his jeans and underwear down his hips. His hard cock springs free, pre-cum already dripping from the tip.

Now this blowjob _was_ something she planned. She's done it for him many times before, several times the previous weekend alone, but he never finished in her mouth. He always pulled her up so he could be inside of her when he came, or she would use her hand. The one time she tried to swallow, the _only_ time she ever tried it before, she tried to take him deep in the back of her throat, and she ended up gagging, spitting it out against his stomach. She was embarrassed, disappointed in herself and how she must have measured up against all of the other girls he had been with, girls who were probably much better at it than she could ever be.

Logan never asked her to specifically do it, and when that happened, he acted oblivious, just falling back against the couch cushions, panting and seemingly sated from his orgasm as he ran his fingers through her hair. But she never tried it again.

Now she wished she had paid more attention to Lilly whenever she was reading from Cosmo, telling Veronica all about their hundreds of tips for the perfect blowjob. She had vowed to finish it right this time, proving not only to him but to herself that she could do it and do it well.

Veronica slides down in the bed, aligning her mouth to him as she lies on her tummy, propping herself up on her elbow so she can study his body. Logan's already bracing himself, his hands fisting the comforter, his eyes closed tight, his body taut. He's always so amazing with his mouth and she wants to return the favor.

She teases him at first, running her fingers along his hipbone, down the top of his thigh before she moves to his other leg, careful to not touch him where he wants it the most. When she finally takes him in her hand, she wraps her fingers around his shaft and lowers her head to dart her tongue across the tip to lick the pre-cum from his cock. She decides she likes the way he tastes, the salty warmth of him.

Logan moans as she continues to swirl her tongue against him while she slowly pumps her hand. She pays special attention to the head, as he's told her in the past that that's where it feels best. When her jaw tires, she shifts to rest her weight on both her elbows and focuses on using her hand, her saliva acting as the lubricant. She cups his balls and kisses the inside of his thigh until she gets her second wind, and then she slides her entire mouth over him.

He quietly pants her name, his hands entangled in her hair as he watches her. It takes an unnatural amount of self-control to not push her head down, but he manages, focusing all of his energy on her hot and wet mouth and how hard she's trying to make this good for him. As she runs her tongue up along the underside of his cock, her eyes lock with his, and that right there is almost enough to send him over the edge. "Please keep looking at me," he begs, breathless, after she closes her eyes. "Please."

So she does, opening her eyes so they can stare at each other as she continues to work him over in her mouth. It's sexy and empowering, how much he's enjoying what she's doing for him, and she presses her thighs together to try and alleviate some of the pressure from between her legs. The movement causes her ass to rise in the air, and Logan leans forward to grab at her there, his fingers digging into her skin. The change of position causes him to slide a little deeper into her mouth, and Veronica almost gags before she adjusts.

"You don't have to swallow, baby," he growls, nearing his climax, his eyes still locked with hers. "Just use your hand."

She ignores him and moves to take him deeper, her head bobbing up and down. Logan's back practically bows off the bed. "Fuck, Veronica. I'm close."

A few seconds later and he's coming, his hands squeezing Veronica's ass as she takes it all. As the last spurt slides down her throat, Logan falls back on the bed, panting in exhaustion.

Veronica continues to run her tongue down and around the top of cock until Logan shudders, too sensitive to take it anymore. She lifts her head, wiping at her mouth with the back of her hand.

His heart is still racing from his orgasm, and though he's usually brain dead after coming so hard, his thoughts are racing now, too.. _Oh God, oh God, I hope she didn't do that for Piz._ He never watched all of the video, couldn't bring himself to do that to Veronica, couldn't torture himself enough to watch anyway. He remembers his stomach dropping when he saw her hands inside Piz's pants, and as soon as she lowered her head, he slammed the laptop shut and demanded Dick tell him where the hell he got that.

"Did you like it?" she asks softly, her head resting against his stomach.

Logan squeezes his eyes shut, trying to even out his breathing. Fuck it, she's not with Piz anymore, she's with _him_.

"Logan?" she prompts again.

He opens his eyes as his pulse returns to normal, and smiles down at her. "That," he smiles widely, "was the best blowjob ever."

She grins at that, ridiculously proud, and reaches up to kiss him. He returns the kiss, eager to continue from where they left off, and sits up, pulling his jeans back up around his hips. He tries to position her on her back, and she moves with him, scooting up until she's at the very end of the bed, her hair falling over the edge and onto the bench.

"Now it's my turn," he tells her, his mouth at her ear. She closes her eyes in anticipation, and she can feel his breath against her skin as he moves down her body, his mouth hovering right over her.

He kisses her stomach and her hip, his chin resting gently against her pelvic bone, but he doesn't move lower. Veronica wiggles against him, frustrated, her hips rising up from the bed. "Come on, don't tease."

He laughs softly, smiling up at her with bright eyes. "We said we were going to go slow."

"Patience?" she huffs, rubbing her foot against his leg. "Not really one of my virtues."

Logan yields, hooking his fingers at the top of her underwear to pull them down her body. He untangles the lace from around her feet and throws them aside. She's spread before him now, completely naked, her hands above her head as she rocks her lower body against him.

"Look at me, Veronica." She stretches her neck, her eyes meeting his. He can already smell her arousal, see her wetness glistening against her neatly trimmed pubic hair. He instinctively licks his lips, hungry for her.

Sitting at her feet, Logan leans forward to caress her. He slowly runs his hands all over her, from the arch of her foot to her bicep. She mewls with pleasure, her legs falling open more with each pass up her body. His hand slides down between her breasts, then over her rib cage, down to her stomach. When he cups her with his palm, rubbing against her with _just_ the right amount of pressure, she bends her knees, her feet flat on the bed. The move opens her completely to him, and Logan sinks to his stomach to finally taste her.

Veronica's back arches at the feel of his tongue on her. He wraps his arm around her leg, bringing his hand to rest at the top of her thigh, where he grips her tightly as his tongue moves to her clit. She whispers his name, bringing down her own hand to pull at her nipple. He looks up to see her palming her breast, and he smiles against her pussy, sliding down further to lick her harder. Her thighs tense as she nears her climax, and so Logan brings down his hand to spread her more, his thumb pushing against the hood of her clitoris to expose the tiny nub of nerves. When he sucks her into his mouth, as gentle and light as possible because he knows how sensitive she is to it, she comes hard against his mouth, murmuring things like, "Fuck," and "Logan," and "Oh, _God_."

The mixture of her cum and his saliva has made her impossibly wet, and he continues to run his tongue over her, reveling in her taste and scent. He's hard again, his erection pressing against the front of his jeans.

He pulls back from her, panting as he licks his lips, his mouth and chin wet. Veronica scrambles to sit up, rising on her knees to wrap her arms around his neck, pressing her breasts against his bare chest. She licks the shell of his ear, running her tongue down to nibble on his earlobe.

Logan groans, his cock painfully hard. His arms encircle her waist, his hands moving to her back. He runs his hands down along her spine, to the small of her back, to her ass. He can't touch her enough tonight and she loves it.

"I need you, Veronica," he moans, his hands sliding back up her body to entangle in her hair. He massages her scalp with his fingertips, and she keens in approval. "I want you so much."

"Mm, God yes," she agrees, pulling his head down to her so she can kiss him. She can taste herself on his tongue, smells her musky scent against his mouth.

"How do you want it?" he asks when she breaks the kiss.

She turns her head then, and Logan follows her line of vision to the camera set up beside the bed. He had forgotten all about it, instead focusing his energy on trying to please Veronica.

"Do you want to turn it off?" he asks, playfully nipping at her ear.

"No," she tells him, turning back to face him. "I want to do this."

He nods, ducking his head to kiss her tenderly. She sighs against his mouth, her hands pushing down his jeans and boxer briefs, the only things left between them. He shifts around on the bed so he can pull them off completely, and once he's divested of all his clothing, he falls back against the pillows.

Veronica rolls her eyes, but can't hide her smile, as Logan stretches out against the mattress, his arms behind his head. "You can have your way with me now."

"I don't even know where to start," she teases, running her hand down his chest. He loves it when she's flirty and confident, when she acts the same way in bed as she acts in life. It took her awhile to get comfortable with sex. Now she's so comfortable, he doesn't even know what to make of it. Hell, there's a digital camcorder with a flashing green light less than three feet away from them, and Veronica seems _fine_ with it.

"Hey?" he asks softly, reaching for her hand to pull her to him. "Why do you want to tape us?"

She's obviously taken aback by his blunt question, but she smiles, trying to downplay her surprise, her mouth opening and closing as she tries to think of an answer. "Aren't you…curious?" At his furrowed brow, she elaborates. "Seems like a big thing with kids today, right?"

"Now Veronica, if all of the other kids taped themselves jumping off a bridge, would you?" he chastises. She bristles at that, and it takes a moment for him to realize what he just said. "Wow," he breathes. "Sex tapes, jumping-off-a-bridge jokes…is there _anything_ my parents haven't ruined?"

"Logan…if you don't want to do this-"

"If you want to, then so do I," he tells her, serious now. "I just want to know _why_ you want to."

"I don't really know," she answers honestly. "I just…I do."

Logan nods. "Okay."

Veronica leans in to kiss him then, and he wraps his hand around the back of her head, deepening it. She sighs into his mouth, rising to her knees and pulling him with her.

He moves behind her, both of them kneeling on the bed, and gathers her hair into his fist so he can kiss the back of her neck and her shoulders. "Is this all right?" he asks, gently pulling on her hair to bring her head back. She moans her agreement, turning her head to kiss him, her back flush against his chest.

Logan turns them so they're directly facing the camera, all of Veronica now on prominent display. "How about this?" She opens her eyes, stiffening when she realizes that she's right in front of the camera, completely naked, with an equally naked Logan behind her.

"Nobody else is going to see this," he whispers in her ear. "I promise."

She nods, but doesn't say anything, just continues to stare into the camera.

"We can move, if you want," he tells her, gliding his hands around to her breasts. "But this is something I would definitely want to watch later."

She swallows thickly, tilting her head back to rest against his chest.

"Veronica?"

"This is okay," she breathes.

"You're so gorgeous," he tells her as he continues to palm her breasts. "You're perfect."

She can feel him, hot and hard, against her ass cheek. She arches back to rub against him, bringing her arms up above her head to wrap around his neck. Logan tries to imagine the view from the camera, all of Veronica right in front of him, her tight body completely exposed.

He slides his hands down her body and rubs a finger against her opening to see how ready she is. She's still a little wet from their earlier tryst, but he wants her to really want it, so he continues to finger her, his thumb against her clit as he whispers in her ear.

"You're so fucking hot, Veronica," he moans, his lips at the juncture of her neck. "I love your body." He moves his hand from her hip to her waist, then further up to cup her breast. "You fit me perfectly."

"Mm," she groans, heat pooling in her belly as he continues to rub against her clit.

He licks along her pulse point, and he can taste the salt from her skin on his tongue. "I love your tits," he continues, palming her breast more roughly now.

She laughs softly, her eyes still closed against him as he touches her. "You're a modern day Shakespeare," she grins.

He smiles too, pressing a kiss to her temple. "You love it when I talk dirty to you," he says knowingly. She doesn't deny it, still smiling as he slides his finger inside of her. "Mm, you're so wet. See? I knew you liked it."

She spreads her legs more, wiggling her ass against him. "I'm ready. Please, fuck me."

He groans in frustration when he realizes that the condoms are still in the side table drawer. It's going to be physically painful to pull away from Veronica now. "I have to get a-"

"No!" she pants, covering the hand at her breast with her own. "It's okay for tonight. I'm on the pill."

The idea of fucking Veronica right now with nothing between them is like a wet dream come true, but it was only a week before that she was berating him for his sexual history. She's probably drunk with lust right now, he thinks, and he doesn't want her regretting something later. "Veronica-"

"Have you always used a condom before?" she asks, her hand rubbing against his. They always have in the past, and the idea that he wouldn't use one with someone else isn't something she really wants to think about.

"Yeah," he answers, his middle finger sliding deeper inside of her. She clenches around him, and the sensation drives him crazy. "Are you sure?"

She arches back, her ass brushing against his cock. "Now," she demands.

He doesn't have the willpower to argue, and so he lines himself up at her entrance, thrusting forward to take her in one quick motion. They both whimper at the feeling of him inside of her, and the wet heat of her surrounding him is the greatest feeling he's ever experienced.

"Logan!" she cries, pushing back against him, grabbing at his hand still fumbling at her clit. He can barely see straight, it feels so good. And it's just his luck that the one time he embarrasses himself with a quickie performance, it's on fucking tape.

"Please, Veronica," he begs, speeding up. "I can't last much longer."

"Almost," she moans, taking over to touch herself just where she needs it.

He's thrusting fast, his hands squeezing her breasts. She calls out his name again, clenching around him as she comes, and it's all he needs to fly over the edge with her. He explodes inside of her, his body sagging forward, almost toppling over her.

Veronica pushes against him, and he falls back against the bed, breathless. She smiles, just as winded, and curls against his side, resting her head against his chest. "I could fall asleep right now.".

"Me too," he agrees, his eyes already drifting shut.

"You need to turn off the camera," she tells him, poking at his side.

"And give up definitive proof that you snore? Forget it."

"Mm, go," she mumbles, moving to slide under the covers. Logan groans as he sits up. He's exhausted, and his legs feel like Jell-O, but he's probably never been happier. Veronica trusted him tonight in ways that he could never dream of, and he's surer than ever that she's absolutely it for him.

He wobbles towards the camera, grabbing it to remove it from the tripod, and presses a button to bring up the menu screen. He knows what Veronica needs to do.

"Babe," he whispers, shaking her arm to wake her. "Here."

He's holding the camera in front of her, the _Delete_ screen up, _Yes_ highlighted. All she needs to do is press the button.

She smiles up at him and takes it from his hands, permanently erasing the video. _Their_ video, on _their_ terms. He smiles back, placing the camera on the nearby table before climbing into bed with her. She sighs in contentment, rolling on her side so he can spoon her, and they both fall asleep within minutes.


End file.
